Asatic language family
The Asatic languages are a group of languages spoken in Gondala, adjacent areas and some (contemporary and former) colonies of Gondalan states. The Asatic language family is the most widely spoken linguistic group in Antel and one of the largest in Eramár. At least 12 standardized Asatic languages are recognized as official or regional languages in Gondala. History All the Asatic languages are thought to descend from a common ancestor spoken somewhere in the Plains of Édain, on the western or southwestern shores of the Red Sea. The ancestor language, dubbed the Proto-Asatic language is not attested in any written sources and can only be reconstructed based on the principles of comparative linguistics. Although it is not known whence the speakers of Proto-Asatic came or for how long the culture had lived in the Plains, a massive migration started around the 5th century before the Fourth Age, carrying the language westward, where rapid differentiation brought about the diverse languages spoken in Gondala in later ages. It is, however, possible that the Proto-Asatic language had already split in several distinct (albeit mutually intelligible) dialects even before the migration started. Classification The Asatic languages are classified by their genetic relationship with each other. The groupings derive their names from their geographic distribution, as this corresponds very well with the language diversification process and even different waves of migration from the Proto-Asatic homeland. The most commonly recognised Asatic language groups are: South '''Asatic, '''Central Asatic, North Asatic, East Asatic. Another possible grouping distinguishes Plains Asatic (East Asatic languages) and River Asatic (South, Central, North Asatic languages) South Asatic languages The South Asatic languages are spoken in Southern Gondala, primarily around the Bay of Thrig, and in some colonies in Sephir, Nárún and other places. These languages are one of the most conservative Asatic languages, preserving a lot of features of Proto-Asatic, for example, rich verbal inflections and ablauts, nominal declension and gender agreement in verbs. South Asatic languages can further be grouped as follows: * Arazi languages ** East Arazi (originally Central and Eastern Aradór) *** Various now-extinct dialects spoken in Eastern and Central Aradór during the Kingdom of Aradór and the Asatic Empire *** Classical Arazi and its descendants: **** Bantazi Arazi (both Metropolitan and Colonial varieties) **** Central Vernacular Arazi (sometimes called Petsi Arazi) **** South Vernacular Arazi, spoken in Southern Aradór where it displaced native Bay Asatic languages. ** West Arazi (originally: Western Aradór) *** Various now-extinct dialects spoken in Western Kingdom of Aradór and the Asatic Empire *** Shanidazi language, spoken in the province/state of Shanida *** Brégh language, spoken in a small region south of Shanida *** Insular Arazi languages (various small languages spoken on the isles) * Bay Asatic languages ** Mörö Arazi, spoken along the souther coast of the Bay of Thrig ** Cape Mörö, also called Debuti, spoken in the Western part of Souther Aradór. Central Asatic languages Central Asatic languages display far less diversity than South Asatic languages, partially because of more efficient language displacement and partially due to large rate of extinction. Central Asatic languages are grouped as follows: * Coeric languages (West-Central languages) ** Coeric language and its predecessors, spoken throughout Coedor and its colonies in Sephir ** Nelean language, spoken in the Nelean Highland and for a long part of its history mutually intelligible with Coeric (until recently) * Mountain Asatic languages, or the Gádenian group, spoken in North-western Coedor, along the Terratuens ** Gádenian language, spoken only in the Coeric province of Goaden ** Wélion, Carthas and Spealli languages, all extinct by the 27th century. North Asatic Languages Arguably the poorest subdivision, the North Asatic language group contains only two living languages, both of them closely related. * Ínah languages: ** Ponàel language ** Duin language North Asatic languages are sometimes grouped with the Central Asatic languages. East Asatic languages There are a large number of East Asatic languages that are sometimes treated as dialects of a few bigger languages. * Cāvarī languages, spoken by the Cāvarī people along the Red Sea ** Eptiran languages, the languages and dialects spoken in the states of Eptīr, Dēsaia and Crēmbrus *** Dialects: High Eptiran, Low Eptiran, Desaian, West Crembrian, East Crembrian, Scalonese ** Perpegan languages, spoken in the state of Perpēgus *** Dialects: Mainland Perpegan, Island Perpegan, South Perpegan * Far East Asatic languages, spoken in beyond the Red Sea. Category:Asatic languages Category:Languages